Onboarding Re-Architecture
We restructured account creation and onboarding by simplifying signup and guiding users to their first reward, reducing early drop-offs by ~70% and increasing conversion to paying customers by ~12%.
Context
Plum allowed new businesses to create reward programs for employees and customers through a multi-step admin onboarding flow. To start sending rewards, admins needed to create an account, configure store settings, verify business details, complete payment setup and understand campaign workflows.
As enterprise onboarding requirements expanded, the setup process became increasingly operational and compliance-heavy before users could experience the product itself.
Role
I led the experience design end to end, defining the onboarding strategy, restructuring the journey, and partnering with the PM and engineering to drive activation-focused product decisions.
Existing Model
The onboarding flow evolved incrementally as new business, compliance, and operational requirements were added over time. Instead of being designed around activation, the journey became centered around account setup and operational readiness from the very beginning.
This made onboarding feel like a configuration process rather than a guided product introduction.
Problem
New users were being pushed into operational setup before experiencing any product value. Critical actions like business verification, payment setup, store configuration, onboarding decisions were either blocked or introduced too early in the journey.
This created major friction during activation:
- users dropped before completing setup
- first-time admins struggled to understand next steps
- the gap between signup and first reward became too long
- support dependency increased during onboarding
As onboarding complexity increased, conversion from signup to activation continued to decline.
Before: Users had to make multiple setup decisions before accessing the platform.
Before: Sending rewards was blocked due to incomplete business verification.
Before: Adding funds was restricted, delaying account activation and usage.
Strategy and Direction
We analyzed onboarding drop-offs, activation patterns, and operational dependencies to understand where users were losing momentum.
Early explorations focused on:
- simplifying existing setup flows
- reducing onboarding steps
- restructuring onboarding sequences
But the core issue was not the number of steps. It was introducing commitment before value. We shifted the onboarding model toward:
- faster product access
- progressive setup
- guided activation
- surfacing compliance and payment workflows contextually instead of upfront
This allowed users to experience the platform earlier while completing operational requirements gradually.
Solution
We restructured onboarding around a single goal, help users send their first reward as quickly as possible. Users can proceed with intent, while the system handles dependencies like verification and payment in parallel.
Before: Business Verification → Payment Setup → Store Configuration → Campaign Decisions → Send First Reward
Users were forced into operational setup before experiencing product value.
After: Enter Platform → Set First Reward → Verify Business → Add Funds → Send First Reward
Shifted from setup-first to activation-first, allowing users to experience the product before completing operational workflows.
Simplified Account Creation
Reduced onboarding to only essential inputs, removing early decisions like use cases and store configuration. This allowed users to enter the product faster and start exploring immediately, instead of getting blocked upfront.
Shift:
- Before → Heavy, decision-driven signup
- After → Lightweight entry with delayed complexity
Reduced onboarding to essential inputs, removing early decision friction
Guided First Reward Journey
Defined sending the first reward as the primary activation milestone. Created a structured flow that guided users step by step, with clear next actions at each stage.
Key behaviours introduced:
- Users can configure rewards before completing verification
- Clear next actions replace open-ended exploration
- The system communicates progress at every step
This gave users clarity on what to do and how to progress, reducing early drop-offs and making onboarding feel lighter.
A structured flow guiding users step by step toward sending their first reward
Early Visibility of Verification and Payments
Moved business verification and payment setup earlier in the journey with clear visibility. Users understood requirements before reaching blockers.
This reduced surprises and improved completion rates.
Verification and payments surfaced early to reduce last-minute drop-offs
System Behaviour (Core Design Decision)
To balance flexibility with business constraints, we introduced a queued reward system:
- Rewards are queued instead of failing
- Verification runs in parallel after submission
- Users can choose to add funds now or later
- Rewards are automatically sent once requirements are met
This allowed users to complete their intent without interruption, while still respecting compliance and payment requirements.
Rewards are queued instead of blocked, allowing users to complete actions while the system handles verification
Impact
The redesigned onboarding flow reduced friction between signup, business verification, and first reward creation by restructuring the journey around progressive activation instead of upfront setup.
Outcomes included:
- ~70% reduction in early-stage onboarding drop-offs
- ~12% increase in conversion from signups to paying customers
- ~20–30% improvement in onboarding completion and time to first reward
- ~25–55% reduction in onboarding-related support tickets
The new flow created a clearer path from account creation to activation, helping enterprise teams explore the platform faster while improving operational efficiency and conversion outcomes.
Summary
This project transformed onboarding from a fragmented and confusing journey into a structured, guided system.
By simplifying entry, staging commitment, and clearly guiding users toward their first reward, we improved activation and made the platform more conversion-ready at scale.
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